Furniture construction

ABSTRACT

A pair of inverted U-shaped end pieces joined by upper and lower back beams and a front beam form the skeleton of a sofa that employs a tensioned system of leather straps to support seat and back cushions. Back straps generally are vertically strung between the upper back beam and a floating beam. Seat straps are generally horizontally strung between the front beam and the floating beam. Adjustable tensioning straps stretch from the lower back beam to the floating beam. Unique, self-tightening attachments of the straps to the beams use novel H-shaped, cast aluminum fasteners.

United States Patent Biehl [451 Feb. 29, 1972 [54] FURNITURECONSTRUCTION [72] Inventor: Roy J. Biehl, Milwaukee, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Sahn, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Oct. 15, 1969 211 App]. No.: 866,684

[52] 11.8. CI. ..297/454, 24/265 BC, 297/454 [5| 1 Int. Cl. ..A47c 7/02,A440 5/18 [58] Field ofSearch..... ..297/454, 457 T; 5/353.1 T;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,649,013 11/1927 Bell..297/456 X 3,057,613 10/1962 Benjamin ....297/456 UX 3,332,719 7/1967Flint ....297/456 UX 176,589 4/1876 Braddock ...24/265 BC 1,979,27811/1934 McMurtry..... ....297/457 X 2,893,476 7/l959 Lilengren ..297/456X 3,289,220 12/1966 Grimshaw ..297/456 X 3,375,861 4/1968 Marlow..297/456 UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 517,971 3/1953 Belgium..297/456 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Thomas O. Kloehn andArthur H. Seidel [57] ABSTRACT v A pair of inverted U-shaped end piecesjoined by upper and 1 lower back beams and a front beam form theskeleton of a sofa that employs a tensioned system of leather straps tosupport seat and back cushions. Back straps generally are verticallystrung between the upper back beam and a floating beam. Seat straps aregenerally horizontally strung between the front beam and the floatingbeam. Adjustable tensioning straps stretch from the lower back beam tothe floating beam. Unique, self-tightening attachments of the straps tothe beams use novel H-shaped, cast aluminum fasteners.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 29, 1972 3,545,550

INVENTOR ROY 5.515511.

ATTORNEY FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Furnitureusing an arrangement of straps for a suspension system to support theseat and back cushions are well known to the art. Such a constructioncan be very lightweight and relatively inexpensive, inasmuch as theresilience of the straps may beurelied upon to provide the spring actionfor the cushions, replacing'the heavier springand frame construction.

However, the use of strap suspension arrangements is limited by inherentcharacteristics in known structures. For example, in usage the strapstend to stretch with the resulting loss of resilience and sag of thefurniture. Also known types of attachments of the straps to one anotherand to the supporting framework tend to loosen in usage and come apartbefore the other portions of the furniture wear out.

All types of furniture, whether they employ a strap-type suspensionsystem or a more conventional spring support have been characterized bycertain, seemingly insoluable problems. The furniture must be completelyconstructed at the factory. Hence, a complete display of alternativedesigns and color schemes would require such a larger inventory ofitems, many of I which might not be salable, that in most instances acomplete display is, for practical purposes, impossible. Since suchfurniture must be ordered from the factory, extensive delays, sometimesmany months long, occur before delivery, and the furniture is bulky toship, handle and store so that the expenses for each can become quitelarge.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an article offurniture, and more specifically the invention resides in an article offumiture comprising the combination of a pair of end frames joined by atleast two fixed beams, and a strap suspension system employing aplurality of supporting straps that have loops fitting around said fixedbeams to attach the straps to said beams to span, the distance betweensaid beams. The invention also resides in a construction for an articleof furniture that includes a pair of end frames joined by at least twofixed beams with a floating beam parallel to the fixed beams and thathas the. supporting straps attached to the floating beam as well as thefixed beam, and in which adjustable tensioning straps anchor thefloating beam to the end frames. The invention also resides in anattachment for securing a strap about a bar segment according to whichthe strap forms a loop about a bar segment, adjacent portions of thestrap on opposite ends of the loop have aligned slots through themthrough which a fastener is inserted, and the fastener is made up of apair of plates spaced apart to be located on opposite outside surfacesof the adjacent strap portions with a link that passes through thealigned slots joining the plates.

Furniture embodying the above-described invention is readily assembledand disassembled into interchangeable component parts. This allows thefurniture to be shipped, handled and stored in convenient, compact unitsof disassembled component parts, with resulting economies of space,effort andinventory investment.

Also as a result of the above described tension, the strap tension canbe readily adjusted to maintain the desired stiffness and to correct sagthat may developafter long usage due to stretching of thestraps. Whenmany years of normal usage finally exacts its toll, or unanticipatedabuse damages a portion of an article of furniture embodying the presentinvention, a repair can be made easily, quickly and inexpensively bysimply replacing the worn or broken component part or parts. Anyreplacement or adjustment can be made by a wholesaler, retailer, or eventhe consumer.

Finally, the strap attachment employing the unique, H- shaped fasteneris self-tightening and supports the strap at the point of attachment.Because the attachment is self-tightening it grows tighter with usage,rather than loosening as prior art attachments do. In addition theconfiguration of the H-shaped fastener prevents creasing of the strap atthe attachment so that the weakening that .would result from a crease isavoided. Additionally, the I-I-shaped fastener cooperates with the strapat the attachment to support and thus strengthen the strap, by contrastto the prior art attachments which tended to weaken the strap attachmentmaking it a point of vulnerability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing: 1 FIG. 1 is a top viewin perspective of a sofa, partially in section, and embodying thepresent invention,

FIG. 2 is an elevation in section of the sofa in FIG. 1 taken along theline 22 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an elevation in section of a portion of the sofa in FIG. 1taken along the line 33 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a bottom view in perspective of a strap fastener embodying thepresent invention,

FIG. 5 is a top view. in perspective of the strap fastener shown in FIG.4, and

FIG. 6 is view partially in section of a strap and a strap fastenertaken along the line 6-6 taken in FIG. 1. I

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TI-IE'PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The sofa embodyingthe present invention is made up of a pair of inverted, U-shaped endframes land 2. The end frames 1 and 2 are laminated wood structureshaving generally rectangular configurations to effect a desired modernScandinavian design concept. However, the end frames 1 and 2 could be ofany shape or design consistent with the particular furniture styledesired. The lower ends of the end frames 1 and 2 form two'pairs of legs4 and 5 of the sofa, but if, for example, a cantilevered end design weredesired, separate legs could be made and located inside of the ends.

The vertical end frames 1 and 2 are joined by several horizontal polesor beams 7, 8 and 9 to complete the skeleton of the sofa. .One of thehorizontal poles 7 is the upper back beam 7, which also serves as thetop support for the back of the sofa. Another of the horizontal poles 8is the lower back beam 8, which is parallel to but beneath the-upperback beam 8. The third horizontal pole 9 is the front beam 9 which islocated, vertically, between thelower back beams 7 and 8 but which joinsthe front portions of the end frames 1 and 2 and serves as the frontsupport for the seat of the sofa. The three beams or poles 7, Sand 9 arenickel plated steel tubes having circular cross sections as can be seenin FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, which material and shape give them durability andgood strength and resilience with minimum weight. Other materials andshapes might be selected to achieve the same results with a differentappearance or greater economy, for example, wood, bamboo, laminates,glass fiber impregnated with plastic and other such material, fabricatedor synthetic materials, solid or hollow, and round or polygonal incross-sectional configuration.

The ends of the beams 7, 8 and 9 are partially plugged with tubularsleeve plugs 10, one of which is shown in section in the end of theupper back beam 7 in FIG. 3. The plugs 10 fit tightly'in the ends of thetubular poles 7-9 are secured in place by pins 11, which pass throughthe plugs 10 and holes in the wallsof the-beams 7, 8 and 9. Threadedscrews 12, one of which can be seen in FIG. 3, are also pinned in theplugs 10 by the pins 11 which pass through the screws 12, so that thescrews 12 extend from the ends of the beams 7, 8 and 9, a precalculateddistance. These threaded screws 12 provide convenient, secure and strongmeans for fastening the opposite ends of the beams 7, 8 and 9 to the endframes 1 and 2. If the plugs 10 were intemally threaded, the screws 12might be turned into the plugs 10 instead of being pinned, and both theplugs and the screws l2couldbe-welded in place economically.

At the desired location for the end-mountings the beams 7, 8 and 9in'the end frames I and 2. holes6 are bored through the end frames I and2 to receive the screws B2. and these holes 6 are countersunk at bothends. The inside ends of the holes are countersunk to receive the endsof the beams 7, 8 and 9 respectively, and the outside ends of the holes5 are countersunk to receive assembly nuts 13, which are internallythreaded and turned on to the screws 12. The assembly nuts 13 arecylindrical, nickel plates, cast aluminum nuts with a pair of wrenchholes 14 in each to receive a special wrench, which discouragesvandalism when such furniture is used in a public place or a place ofbusiness. The assembly nuts 13 are also designed so that their externalsurfaces will be flush with the .exterior surfaces of the end frames 1and 2 when the sofa is assembled, and they are plated to provide adecorative appearance. Assembly nuts could alternatively, be embedded inthe hole 6 in end frames 1 and 2 so as to be externally visible, ordecorative caps might be provided to cover the nuts 13, or the nutscould be given a different shape or finish to produce differentdecorative effects. Of course the screws 12 could be fastened into theend frames 1 and 2 and turned into the plugs to assemble the skeleton.Other types of fastenings appropriate for this use could be substitutedfor the nut and screw fastening of the preferred embodiment. I

'The sofa has as upholstery a seat cushion 18, a back cushion 19 and twoarm cushions 20, only one of which is shown. Further standardization canbe achieved by using several, three for example, seat and back cushionsfor a sofa, one for a chair and two for a loveseat. The seat cushion 18is supported on a plurality of leather seat straps 21 which arestretched between the front beam 9 and a floating beam 22, which islocated to the rear of thefront beam 9, somewhat ahead of the back beams7 and 8 and is vertically positioned between the back beams 7 and 8,slightly below the front beam 9. The back cushion l9 rests against aplurality of leather back straps 23, which are stretched between theupper back beam 7 and the floating beam 22. A pair of adjustabletensioning straps 24 are strung between the floating beam 22 and thelower back beam 8 to stabilize the floating beam 22 and to adjustablytension the seat straps 21 and back straps 23. in the preferredembodiment, the seat straps 21 and back straps 23 are segments of asingle composite strap 25 which terminates at the upper back beam 7 andthe front beam 9 and is attached to the floating beam, 22 intermediateit ends. An important aspect of the present invention is the uniqueattachment of the straps 21 and 23 to the beams 7, 9 and 22.

Longitudinally oriented elongated slots 26 and 27 are cut in oppositeends of single composite strap 25 and a longitudinally oriented slot 28is cut intermediate the ends of the composite strap 25 to be located atthe attachment of the strap 25 to the floating beam 22. (If, instead ofa single composite strap 25, separate seat and back straps were usedthey would have slots only in their ends since such separate strapswould have one end attached to the floating beam 22). The slotted endportions of the composite strap are folded around the upper back beam 7and the front beam 9, respectively, to form loops 29 and 30respectively, about the upper back 7 and front beam 9. The centerslotted portion of the composite strap is likewise folded about thefloating beam 22 to form a loop 31 about the floating beam 22. In thepreferred embodiment each of the loops 29-31 is a single wrapsurrounding the respective beams 7, 9 and 22, but the loops 29-31 couldalso be multiple wraps of strap 25. Each of the loops 29, 3t) and 31 isso formed that slotted positions on opposite ends of each loop 29, 30and 42 are adjacent to one another and the opposite ends of the slots26, 27 and 28 aligned.

A fastener 32 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 slides into the respectivealigned slots 26, 27 and 28 to hold the ends of the respective loops 28,30 and 31 together before the loops 29, 30 and 42 are slid onto therespective poles 7, 9 and 22. The fastener 32 is made up of a pair ofrectangular plates 33 and 34 joined by a central link 35 and in thisembodiment it is a unitary cast aluminum member, though other materialssuch as injection molded plastic, or steel are being considered. Theplates 33 and 34 are approximately one-andone-half inches long for usewith straps 25 that are approximately one-andthree quarters inches wideand that have centered slots, 26, 27 and 28 one-half inch wide. Theplates 33 and 34 of the same fastener are approximately one-half inchwide and five-thirtyseconds inches thick at the top, with the centrallink 35 being seven-sixteenths inches wide, three-eighths inches deepand five-sixteenths inches long'from the plate 33 to the plate 34.Because the plates 33 and 34 are substantially wider than the slots 26,27 and 28, the fastener can not become dislodged ac- .cidentally. Thelink 35 between the plates 33 and 34 is slightly longer than twothicknesses of the IQ ounce leather strap 25 so that the fastener 32 canbe assembled easily in the slots 26, 27 and 28 and still fit snugly.The, interior comers bearing against the strap 25, but the link 35 isshaped to fit the slots 26-28 so that the fastener will-seat properlywith the plates 33 and 34 extending transverally across the strap 25 andwill not twist in the slot. The interior surfaces of the plates 33 and34 flare outwardly downwardly about 5 to facilitate assembly and toaccommodate divergent forces on the strapv portions adjacent to theattachment.

The tensioning straps 24 have a row of holes punched in them at each endto receive shanks 36 and 37, respectively, of T-shaped ends 38 and 39,of a turn buckle 40 which may be retracted or extended to increase ordecrease the tension in the strap segments 21 and 23. The row of holes(not shown) allows the shanks 36 and 37 of the turn buckle 40 to beplaced through different holes to provide a greater range of adjustment.To distinguish the tensioning straps 24, the seat and back straps 21 and23 and the composite strap 25 of which the other are segments, may bereferred to as supporting straps. Because the fasteners must beslippedon first they cannot be removed by vandalism.

The first step in the assembly of the sofa is the formation of the loops26-28 in the composite strap 25. The loops 26-28 might be formed byriveting or sewing the free ends of the loops together, but thefasteners 32 are preferred. When the slotted portions of the straps 25are folded approximately in half, the slots 26-28 viewed from theoutside folded surface present an outwardly opening U-shapedconfiguration. The links 35 of fasteners 32 are inserted in theoutwardly opening U-shaped folded slots 26-28 with the plates 33 and 343on opposite outside surfaces of the folded strap 25 The loops 29-36: ofthe heavy leather straps 25 hold the fasteners 32 in place when the link35 rests against the ends of the slots 26-28 until the loops 29-30 canbe assembled on to the respective poles 7, 9 and 22.

After formation of the loops 29-30 is completed, the loops 29-30 of thestraps 25 may be consecutively slid on to the respective poles or beams7, 9 and 22. Next the end frames 1 and 2 are assembled with the beams 7,8 and 9 by inserting the screws 12 projecting from the ends of the beams7, 8 and 9 through the countersunk holes 6 in the end frames 1 and 2.Then the nuts 13 are turned tightly onto the ends of the screws 12 inthe countersunk holes 6 until the nuts 13 are flush with the outsidesurfaces of the end frames 1 and 2 and the ends of the beams 7, 8 and 9are drawn tightly into the countersunk inside ends of the holes 6 in theend frames. Finally, the tensioning straps 24 are assembled with theturn buckles 40 to anchor the floating beams 22 to the end frames 1 and2 by passing the tensioning straps 24 around the lower back beam 8. Thenthe turn buckles 40 can be tightened until the desired tension isimparted to the seat straps 21 and the back straps 23.

When the tensioning straps 24 are tightened by the turn buckles 40, theytighten or tension the seat and back straps 21 and 23 respectively bydrawing the floating beam downwardly and rearwardly. When the back strap23 and seat straps 21 are tensioned, the loops 29-31 are drawn tightlyabout the respective beams 7, 9 and 22 as if the loops were formed withslip knots. Also, the tensioning of the supporting straps 25 andresulting tightening of the loops 29-31 draws the fasteners 32 againstthe beams 7, 9 and 22. if some or all of the straps 25 of a particularembodiment require further stabilization, the beams 7, 9 and 22 and thelinks 35 of the fasteners can be drilled and screws (not shown) can beused to fasten the fasteners 32 to the beams '7, 9 and 22.

The dimensions, configuration and materials for the beams 7-9 and 22 areselected to ensure the optimism flexibility and resilience. If a heavyperson drops into the center of the sofa, a great deal of stress wouldbe placed on the end mountings of the beams 7-9 in the end frames 1 and2. By proper selection of the beams 7-9 and 22, the flexibility andresilience of the beams 7-9 and 22 along with the straps 24 and 25 canabsorb the shock.

If, after some use the straps 25 stretch, it is only necessary totighten the turn buckles 40 to take up any slack thus created. When anyof these straps 25 break, or when the straps wear out as ultimatelyhappens, it is a simple matter to disassemble and replace the worn outstraps 25 with new ones. Similarly, if any of the beams 7, 8, 9 or 22 orthe end frames 1 or 2 should be damaged, the damaged members can bereplaced easily. The ease of repair becomes particularly important tothe public or commercial consumer who use such an article of furniturein a waiting room, or an office, or a corridor or the like where itcould be exposed to careless treatment.

The invention is not, of course, confined to sofas. By using shorterbeams 7, 8, 9 and 22 and correspondingly shorter seat back cushions l8and 19, the sofa is readily. converted to a love seat or to a chair. Anequally obvious modification can produce a chaise lounge, a cot or anottoman. Although the straps 25 in the preferred embodiment are leather,and the end frames 1 and 2 are wood, the beams 7, 8, 9 and 22 are steeland the fastener 32 are cast aluminum it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that any of the available and well known substitutematerials, synthetic or natural may also be used. Manifestly, the endframes 1 and 2 and beams 7, 8, 9 and 22 make up a rigid framework andrequire corresponding rigidity of any substitute material to be used;similarly each of the fasteners 32, being a rigid cast member, can bemade from any material of similar rigidity; while the straps 25, whichare supported by the rigid framework and fastened by the rigidfasteners, should be made of a relatively supple material having theproperties of or similar to leather. The fastener 32 may be constructedfrom several parts rather than integrally cast as a single member.

in addition to the ease of adjustment and repair of furniture madeaccording to the present invention, a number of other advantageslikewise result from it. A high degree of standardization of parts canbe employed and the articles of fumiture can be shipped and stored incomponent parts. With a minimum amount of inventory on hand, a retaileror wholesaler may successively display a wide variety of design, stylesand color combinations. Minimal shipping and storage space is requiredto accommodate a relatively large inventory of furniture made accordingto the present invention, because that furniture may remain indisassembled, component parts until display or final delivery is to bemade. Not only may the customers see all of the designs, styles andcolor schemes available before deciding on the one to be purchased, butdue to the extended standardization of components, even retailers cansafely maintain sufficient inventory so that delivery can be madeimmediately without backordering to the factory as is customary withother types of furniture. All of these various advantages combine toprovide, not only greater convenience, but greater efficiency and hencecost savings to the ultimate consumer.

Various specific alternative structures and materials have beendescribed throughout the foregoing description of the various componentparts, and those alternatives were suggested merely by way of examplewith no intent to be exhaustive. in other words, what has been disclosedhere is the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor forcarrying out this invention so that the invention itself could bedescribed and the manner of making it could be set forth in clear andconcise terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which itpertains or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use thesame. However, the subject matter which the applicant regards ashis'invention is to be found in the claims that follow.

I claim:

1. An-attachment for securing a strap under tension about a pole segmentcomprising the combination of a pole segment;

a strap folded about said pole segment to form a wrap circumscribingsaid pole segment;

two juxtaposed portions of said strap at opposite ends of said wrapmated together adjacent to said pole segment and each of said portionshaving a longitudinally oriented elongated slot through it, saidlongitudinally oriented elongated slots being aligned;

and a fastener having two rigid plates spaced apart and joinedintermediate their ends by a link transversely oriented with respect tosaid rigid plates, said link being mounted through said aligned slotwith said rigid plates located adjacent opposite outside surfaces ofsaid two juxtaposed portions of said strap, said rigid plates beinglarger than said aligned slots and extending transversely of said slotsand having facing surfaces against said opposite outside surfaces ofsaid strap portions flared outwardly toward said pole segment.

2. A fastener for joining juxtaposed portions of a strap wrapped about abar segment through aligned elongated slots penetrating both of saidportions, said fastener comprising the combination of a pair of rigidplates spaced apart more than the thickness of said strap portions to bejoined, having transverse dimensions greater than the width of saidaligned slots through said portions and oriented transversely of saidslot and said strap portions, and having inside surfaces adjacent saidstrap portions flared outwardly;

and a link oriented transversely of said rigid plates and rigidlyjoining said rigid plates, said link being shaped to fit through saidslot and fastened to said plates at laterally central locations and atedges of said plates closest to said bar segment.

1. An attachment for securing a strap under tension about a pole segmentcomprising the combination of a pole segment; a strap folded about saidpole segment to form a wrap circumscribing said pole segment; twojuxtaposed portions of said strap at opposite ends of said wrap matedtogether adjacent to said pole segment and each of said portions havinga longitudinally oriented elongated slot through it, said longitudinallyoriented elongated slots being aligned; and a fastener having two rigidplates spaced apart and joined intermediate their ends by a linktransversely oriented with respect to said rigid plates, said link beingmounted through said aligned slot with said rigid plates locatedadjacent opposite outside surfaces of said two juxtaposed portions ofsaid strap, said rigid plates being larger than said aligned slots andextending transversely of said slots and having facing surfaces againstsaid opposite outside surfaces of said strap portions flared outwardlytoward said pole segment.
 2. A fastener for joining juxtaposed portionsof a strap wrapped about a bar segment through aligned elongated slotspenetrating both of said portions, said fastener comprising thecombination of a pair of rigid plates spaced apart more than thethickness of said strap portions to be joined, having transversedimensions greater than the width of said aligned slots through saidportions and oriented transversely of said slot and said strap portions,and having inside surfaces adjacent said strap portions flaredoutwardly; and a link oriented transversely of said rigid plates andrigidly joining said rigid plates, said link being shaped to fit throughsaid slot and fastened to said plates at laterally central locations andat edges of said plates closest to said bar segment.